US Army conducts first amphibious insertion of Patriot missile system in the Philippines

A US Navy LCAC carrying part of the first-ever amphibious insert of a Patriot Minimum Engagement Package (MEP). The operation was conducted on the island of Luzon, Philippines, in March 2022. (US Army Pacific)

The US military demonstrated its ability to rapidly deploy a Patriot anti-missile package in the Asia-Pacific region by conducting the weapon system’s first-ever amphibious insertion.

This capability was demonstrated by Bravo Battery, U.S. Army Pacific’s 1st Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery Regiment (1-1 ADA) during Exercise ‘Balikatan’ 2022, an annual military engagement between the US and Philippine armed forces.

As part of the operation, 1-1 ADA inserted a Minimum Engagement Package Patriot (MEP) in Aparri Municipality in the Cagayan Region on the island of Luzon in the Philippines, the service announced on 30 March. The package was delivered by the United States Navy’s Whidbey Island-class amphibious ship USS
Ashland
via two Landing Craft Air Cushions (LCAC) operated by Naval Beach Unit (NBU) 7. These units primarily operate out of the United States Navy base at Sasebo, Japan.